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Obituary by: Jack Foley
SIR Peter Ustinov, one of Britain’s best-loved actors, who
won two Oscars during a long and distinguished career, has died,
aged 82.
The screen veteran, who appeared in films such as Spartacus,
Logan’s Run and Death on the Nile (as Hercule Poirot), passed
away in Switzerland, on Sunday night (March 28, 2004), according
to his agent.
Born in London, in 1921, Sir Peter was the son of part-Russian
parents, and was educated at the Westminster School. He left at
16, because he hated it, but enjoyed almost instant success on
the London stage, where his first play was staged while he was
still only 19.
He went on to become a famed raconteur, an award-winning actor,
an incredibly open and vocally brilliant celebrity, and an ambassador
for the charity, Unicef.
His two Academy Awards came for supporting roles in Stanley Kubrick’s
Spartacus, alongside Kirk Douglas, and for Topkapi, in 1965. He
was also nominated for best supporting actor, for Quo Vadis, in
1951, and for best screenplay, for Hot Millions, in 1968.
In a statement released to BBC News 24, his agent, Steve Kenis,
commented: "He had a breadth of vision of himself and of
the world that few people have. He was a writer of note. People
forget he was twice-nominated by the Writers' Guild of America
for screenplays he wrote.
"Above all he was a great humanitarian. He was a Unicef
ambassador and he valued that very highly."
During his time in the acting profession, which spanned more
than 60 years, Sir Peter met David Niven, while serving as a batman
to him during the Second World War. The two subsequently became
life-long friends.
He spent much of the war stationed in Kent, at St Margaret's
at Cliffe, and returned there, in 2002, to open a village hall.
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Sir Peter was also married three times - to Isolde Denham, Suzanne
Cloutier and Helene du Laud Allemans - and had four children.
He received his knighthood, in 1990, while chancellor of Durham
University.
As well as being an actor, Sir Peter was also a novelist and
noted public speaker. In an interview with Reuters, last year,
he said: "I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound
of which has always seemed to me to be the most civilised music
in the world."
Tributes have been paid by many of the people he influenced and
befriended, in whatever field he worked in.
Former UN Secretary, General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, said of Sir
Peter's Unicef work: "He was among the first ambassadors
who played a very important role. When you have the capacity to
have an influence on the public, through movies or theatre, it
isn't difficult to have the same experience to solve the humanitarian
problem."
And BBC presenter, Michael Parkinson, placed him among his ‘top
five’ interviewees of all time, describing him as a ‘good
writer and actor, a wonderful raconteur and as such, God's gift
to the talk show host’.
Lord Richard Attenborough recalled his story-telling talents,
stating that ‘he was a superb raconteur - never vicious,
never cruel’.
While British actress, Jean Simmons, who appeared in Spartacus
with him, said: "I am absolutely devastated to hear of the
death of one of our finest actors, and a very close personal friend.
"Peter was the only person for whom I would agree to be
a guest on This Is Your Life, and it was a joy to be a part of
that programme. I will miss his humour and friendship greatly."
Sir Peter's biographer, Jonathan Miller, commented: "He
had an extraordinarily varied career.
"He had enough careers for about six other men. He was an
actor, director, writer, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, did
all that work for the United Nations as well.
"He always said that he acted for a living and wrote because
he must, but I am convinced that he also performed because he
must."
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